Question about permissions

[mikebourgeois]

Hi all,

I've never detected on a permissioned area before and I'm rather curious about something. Is there any benefit to detecting on a location that you've gained permission for... I mean apart from not getting removed by the police and keeping up good relations with someone who may or may not be your neighbour... is there any guarantee of finding better signals? I guess if you have to choose between the old abandoned lot down the road and the curbside charmer just up the way whose resident is ok with you digging in their well manicured lawn.

Your thoughts please.

 

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[smokeythecat]

On public property, most likely someone has been there before us. I mainly dig private permissions. Research is the key. If you have permission you don't have to look over your shoulder, except maybe for a deer or such. In the last three years my little team has detected 9 private permissions. One produced an 18th century silver spoon and not much else, the second several hundred 18th century items, the third was a jackpot with two gold coins and four Confederate buckles (I got 2!), one produced some Zincolns and nothing else, one produced several 18th century buttons and not much else, and the last one was a total bust. Three were so quick, we didn't try very hard. We'll go back this year.

The secret is research. What was there prior to today? On two occasions we found sites no one had ever known existed and we cleaned up. Old homes, stores, railroads whose tracks have been removed, all that. Any native trade sites there? Battlefields or better yet, campgrounds? My one neighbor's property produced probably 30 wheat cents, 1 Barber quarter and 3 or so buffalo nickles, no jewelry. The property next door a 1945 dime and a half pound of wheaties. The house used to be a school.

The stuff is there on private property.

 

[cudamark]

When it comes to private property, getting permission shows everyone that you have some class and are not a trespasser........and it helps keep the rest of us from being tarred with that same brush.

 

[Rookster]

I always talk to possible premissions in person. That goes along way. Ask them to go with you. I have several machines so I offer a machine to them if they want to try treasure hunting. Never tell private premissions you're looking for old currency. I like the word relics instead. Offer to share you're finds and lastly offer to take the trash with you. Leave the place looking better than you found it and if you say get one private yard always drop the name of the person if you're in the same neighborhood at another home site.

 

[mikebourgeois]

When it comes to private property, getting permission shows everyone that you have some class and are not a trespasser........and it helps keep the rest of us from being tarred with that same brush.

Sorry, I may have phrased that poorly... I was asking for the benefits of detecting on I guess a public piece of land versus one that you've gained permission to detect. I've gathered that there is likely to be a greater chance of pristine territory to detect on as well as a chance to further the hobby with positive feedback from those whose land you're detecting on... polite detectorist versus a hillbilly with machine in hand. (no offense to the polite well groomed hillbillies... I've met several polite arseholes in my time... they just hide it well.

 

[cudamark]

This day and age, I would rather hunt private property (with permission) than public land (where no permission is needed) if I'm looking for unhunted land. Both sites should be respected with proper recovery technique so as to cause as little damage as possible. The only "benefit" that I can see about hunting public land is, if there is no prohibition to detecting there, no permission is needed......and shouldn't be seeked. The more we keep off everyone's radar, the better off we'll be IMO.

 

[ROIGuy]

Rook... great idea for justifying the purchase of more machines to the wife!
THANKS dude!

Also... to mikebourgeois point..

PUBLIC Sites: I do a cursory search in Google or Bing and on my favorite metal detecting forum to see if that public location has been cited as being banned or needing permits. If I find none, I put it on my radar for future hunting.
PRIVATE Sites: (homesites, building sites etc.) If its a privately owned building like office complex or something, I'd probably opt not to search for an owner and just go on a weekend/holiday when they're closed. I'd hunt, dig and put dirt/grass back like I'd never even been there. Same goes for homes which look vacant with real estate signs (hud signs) etc. I'd probably just go early when no one is around/kids in school etc. **NOTE** if this is a house being rehabbed, ask the owner/workers. If its pre-renovation and a vacant house for sale, chances are they won't care as they just want to sell it and haven't spent any $$$ for landscaping If they clearly have spent money on landscaping, I wouldn't go there.